This page contains a table including the following: Farsi alphabet, also called Persian letters which help you pronounce the words in a given language, you will also learn about the different consonants and vowels. Make sure to check our Learn Farsi page, which contains several lessons that might help you in your learning process.

Farsi Alphabet

English

Farsi Pronunciation

Farsi Script

Various Forms

A as in apple

hamzeh

ء

On the top of some vowels

A as in apple

alef

ا

‍ا

Long “a”

alef-e maddī

آ

‍آ

B as in Brazilian

be

ب

ب‍ ‍ب‍ ‍ب

P as in Persian

pe

پ

پ‍ ‍پ‍ ‍پ

T as in Turkish

te

ت

ت‍ ‍ت‍ ‍ت

Th as in think

the

ث

ث‍ ‍ث‍ ‍ث

J as in Japanese

jīm

ج

ج‍ ‍ج‍ ‍ج

Che as in Chinese

che

چ

چ‍ ‍چ‍ ‍چ

Sharp h as in Hassan

he

ح

ح‍ ‍ح‍ ‍ح

Kh as in the Scottish loch, Spanish Jota

khe

خ

خ‍ ‍خ‍ ‍خ

D as in Danish

dāl

د

د

Th as in They

Th as in They

Th as in They

ذ

R as in Russian

re

ر

ر

Z as in Zulu

ze

ز

ز

Je as in pleasure

je or zhe

ژ

ژ

S as in Spanish

sīn

س

س‍ ‍س‍ ‍س

Sh as in Shadow

shīn

ش

ش‍ ‍ش‍ ‍ش

S as in supper

sād

ص

ص‍ ‍ص‍ ‍ص

D as in Danish

dād

ض

ض‍ ‍ض‍ ‍ض

T as in Tagalog

Tā

ط

ط‍ ‍ط‍ ‍ط

Th as in That

thā

ظ

ظ‍ ‍ظ‍ ‍ظ

The closest is as a soundless “a” or ‘

‘ayn

ع

ع‍ ‍ع‍ ‍ع

gh as the french “r” in merci

ghayn

غ

غ‍ ‍غ‍ ‍غ

F as in Farsi

fe

ف

ف‍ ‍ف‍ ‍ف

Sharp Qu (Qum)

qāf

ق

ق‍ ‍ق‍ ‍ق

K as in Kurdish

kāf

ک

ک‍ ‍ک‍ ‍ک

Same thing just a different way.

kāf

ک

ک‍ ‍ک‍ ‍ک

G as in Golf

gāf

گ

گ‍ ‍گ‍ ‍گ

L as in Language

lām

ل

ل‍ ‍ل‍ ‍ل

M as in Mandarin

mīm

م

م‍ ‍م‍ ‍م

N as in Norwegian

nūn

ن

ن‍ ‍ن‍ ‍ن

W as in Wolof

vāv

و

و

H as in Hebrew

hā-ye havvaz

ه

ه‍ ‍ه‍ ‍ه

Y as in Yiddish

yā-ye mo‘jam

ی

ی‍ ‍ی‍ ‍ی

Y as in Yiddish, sometimes as “a”

yā-ye fārsī

ی

ی‍ ‍ی‍ ‍ی

Farsi Adjectives

This page contains a table including the following: Farsi Adjectivesincluding colors, size, shapes, tastes, quantities... to help you with your Farsi vocabulary and expressions. Try to memorize the way they're used because they're very important in communication, and might be very helpful to convey your most important expressions. Make sure to check our Learn Farsi page, which contains several lessons that might help you in your learning process.

Farsi Adjectives

The following 2 tables contain important adjectives about colors, size, shapes, tastes, quantities in Farsi as well as in English.

English

Farsi Adjectives

Persian Script

Colors

Black

seeyaa

سیاه

Blue

aabee

آبی

Brown

qah-veyee

قهوه ای

Gray

KhaakesaRee

خاکستری

Green

sabz

سبز

Orange

naaRanjee

نارنجی

Purple

aRghoonee

ارغوانی

Red

qeRmiz

قرمز

White

sefeed

سفید

Yellow

zaRd

زرد

Sizes

Big

boozoRg

بزرگ

Deep

god

گود

Long

deRaaz

دراز

Narrow

baaReek

باریک

Short (in height)

kootaa qad

کوتا قد

Short (in length)

kootaah

کوتاه

Small, little

koocheek

کوچک

Tall

boolan qad

بلند قد

Thick

kooloft

کلفت

Thin

laaghaR

لاغر

Wide

'aReez

عریض

Shapes

Round

geRd

گرد

Straight

Raast

راست

Square

moRaba'

مربع

Triangular

moosalas

مثلث

The following table contains important Farsi adjectives about directions that you might use when lost.

English

Farsi

Persian Adjectives

Tastes

Bitter

talKh

تلخ

Fresh

taazey

تازه

Salty

shooR

شور

Sour

toRsh

ترش

Spicy

tond

تند

Sweet

sheeReen

شیرین

Qualities

Bad

bad

بد

Clean

tameez

تمیز

Dark

poR Rang

پر رنگ

Difficult

saKht

سخت

Dirty

kaseef

کثیف

Dry

Khoshk

خشک

Easy

aasoon

آسون

Empty

Khaalee

خالی

Expensive

geRoon

گرون

Fast

saRee'

سریع

Foreign

KhaaRijee

خارجی

Full

poR

پر

Good

Khoob

خوب

Hard (firm)

seft

سفت

Heavy

sangeen

سنگین

Inexpensive

aRzoon

ارزون

Light (illumination)

cheRaagh

چراغ

Light (weight)

sabok

سبک

Local

mahalee

محلی

New

taazey

تازه

Noisy (person)

poR haRf

پرحرف

Noisy (loud noise)

boland

بلند

Old (about things)

koh-ney

کهنه

Old (about people)

peeR

پیر

Powerful

qavee

قوی

Quiet (person)

bee saRo sedaa

بی سروصدا

Right / Correct

doRost

درست

Slow

aahise / yavaash

آهسه / یواش

Soft

naRm

نرم

Very

Kheylee

خیلی

Weak

za'eef

ضعیف

Wet

taR / Khees

تر / خیس

Wrong / Incorrect

ghalat

غلط

Young

javoon

جوان

Quantities

Noisy

poR saRo sedaa

پر سروصدا

Quiet

aaRoom

آرام

Few / Little

kam

کم

Many / Much

zeeyaad

زیاد

Part

qesmat

قسمت

Some / A few (male form)

chan taa / kamee / ba'azee

چند تا / کمی / بعضی

A few (feminine)

chan taa

چند تا

Whole

Farsi Vocabulary

This page contains a table including the following: Farsi Vocabulary to help you with your Farsi vocabulary and expressions. Try to memorize the way they're used because they're very important in communication, and might be very helpful to convey your most important expressions. Make sure to check our Learn Farsi page, which contains several lessons that might help you in your learning process.

Farsi Vocabulary

The following table contains important vocabulary about days, time, directions, and locations in Farsi as well as in English.

English

Farsi Vocabulary

Persian Script

Time

Sunday

ye shanbe

یک شنبه

Monday

do shanbe

دوشنبه

Tuesday

se shanbe

سه شنبه

Wednesday

chaaR shanbe

چهارشنبه

Thursday

panshanbe

پنجشنبه

Friday

jom'e

جمعه

Saturday

shanbe

شنبه

Yesterday

deeRooz

دیروز

Today

emRooz

امروز

Tomorrow

faRdaa

فردا

Day

Rooz

روز

Night

shab

شب

Week

haftey

هفته

Month

maa

ماه

Year

saal

سال

Second

saaneeye

ثانیه

Minute

daqeeqe

دقیقه

Hour

saa'at

ساعت

Morning

sob

صبح

Evening

'asR

عصر

Noon

zoR

ظهر

Afternoon

ba'ad az zoR

بعد از ظهر

Midnight

nisfey shab

نصفه شب

Now

haalaa

حالا

Later

ba'dan

بعداً

The following table contains important Farsi Vocabulary about directions that you might use when lost.

English

Farsi Expressions

Persian Script

Directions

Above / Over

Roo

رو

After / Past

ba'ad az

بعد از

Back / Behind

'aqab

عقب

In front of / Forward

jelowey / jelo

جلوه / جلو

Before

qabl az

قبل از

Between

meeyoon

میون

Coordinates

muKhtasaat

مختصات

Degrees

zaaveeye

زاویه

Down

paayeen

پایین

East

shaRq

شرق

Far

dooR

دور

Longitude

toole jughRaafeeyaayee

طوله جغرافیایی

Left

chap

چپ

Latitude

aRzey jughRaafeeyaayee

عرضه جغرافیایی

My position is ___.

moz'am ___ e / moz'e ___ man

موضعم ___ اِ / موضع ___ من

Near

nazdeek

نزدیک

North

shomaal

شمال

Northeast

shomaaley shaRqee

شماله شرقی

Northwest

shomaaley ghaRbee

شماله غربی

Right

Raast

راست

South

joonoob

جنوب

Southeast

joonoobey shaRqee

جنوبه شرقی

Southwest

joonoobey ghaRbee

جنوبه غربی

Straight ahead.

mostaqeem

مستقیم

Under

zeeR

زیر

Up

baalaa

بالا

West

ghaRb

غرب

Before / In front of / Forward

peesh az / jelowey / jelo

پیش از / جلوه / جلو

Above

baalaa

بالا

Over

Roo

رو

Back

posht

پشت

Behind

'aqab

عقب

In front of

jelowey

جلوه

Locations

Beach

saahel

ساحل

Border

maRz

مرز

Bridge

pol

پل

Camp

oRdoogaa

اردوگاه

Dirt road

jaadey Khaakee

جاده خاکی

Forest

jangal

جنگل

Harbor

bandaR

بندر

Hill

tapey

تپه

House

manzil / Khooney

منزل / خونه

Lake

daRyaachey

دریاچه

Meadow

maRta'

مرتع

Mountain

kooh

کوه

Ocean

oqeeyaanoos

اوقیانوس

Path

Raah

راه

Paved road

jaade ye esfaalte

جاده ی اسفالته

Place

jaa

جا

Position

moze'

موضع

River

RoodKhooney

رودخونه

Road

Raah

راه

Sea

daRyaa

دریا

Square

meydoon

میدون

Tree

deRaKht

درخت

Valley

daRey

دره

Village

deh

ده

Where?

kujaa?

کجا؟

Farsi Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers

This page contains a table including the following: Farsi Numbers both cardinal and ordinal. Try to memorize the way they're used because they're very important in communication, and might be very helpful to convey your most important expressions. Make sure to check our Learn Farsi page, which contains several lessons that might help you in your learning process.

Farsi Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers in Farsi as well as in English are digits like 1, 2, 3, 4 … There are two ways of writing the numbers in Farsi, in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) or in Farsi script (یک, دو, سه).The table below contains more information about the farsi numbers.

English

Farsi Numbers

Persian Script

0 Zero

sefR

صفر

1 One

yek

یک

2 Two

do

دو

3 Three

se

سه

4 Four

chaaR

چهار

5 Five

panj

پنج

6 Six

sheesh

شش

7 Seven

haft

هفت

8 Eight

hasht

هشت

9 Nine

no

نه

10 Ten

da

ده

11 Eleven

yaaze

یازده

12 Twelve

davaaze

دوازده

13 Thirteen

seeze

سیزده

14 Fourteen

chaaRde

چهارده

15 Fifteen

poonze

پانزده

16 Sixteen

shoonze

شانزده

17 Seventeen

heevde

هفده

18 Eighteen

heezhde

هجده

19 Nineteen

nooze

نوزده

20 Twenty

bees

بیست

30 Thirty

see

سی

40 Forty

chel

چهل

50 Fifty

panjaa

پنجاه

60 Sixty

shas

شصت

70 Seventy

haftaad

هفتاد

80 Eighty

hashtaad

هشتاد

90 Ninety

navad

نود

100 Hundred

sad

صد

1,000 Thousand

hezaaR

هزار

10,000 Ten Thousand

da hezaaR

ده هزار

100,000 Hundred Thousand

sad hezaaR

صد هزار

1,000,000 Million

ye melyoon

یک میلیون

Plus

be'alaave

بعلاوه

Minus

menhaa

منها

More (than)

beeshtaR az

بیشتر از

Less (than)

kamtaR az

کمتر از

Approximately

taqReeban

تقریباً

First

aval

اول

Second

doovom

دوم

Third

sevom

سوم

The Persian language has been written with a number of different scripts, including the Old Persian Cuneiform, Pahlavi, Aramaic, and Avestan, Cyrillic and Latin alphabets. After the Islamic conquest of the Persian Sassanian Empire in 642 AD, Arabic became the language of government, culture and especially religion.

Modern Persian appeared during the 9th century. It is written in a version of the Arabic script and is full of words of Arabic origin. There are also two methods of writing Persian with the Latin alphabet.

Under Mongolian and Turkish rulers, Persian was adopted as the language of government in Turkey, central Asia and India, where it was used for centuries, and until after 1900 in Kashmir.

Persian is a member of the Iranian branch of Indo-European languages spoken by about 130 million people, mainly in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. There are also significiant numbers of speakers in many other countries, including Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Turkey, Kuwait, Azerbaijan, Israel, Turkmenistan, Oman, Yemen, the UAE and the USA.

In Afghanistan Persian is known as Dari (درى) or Dari-Persian, while in Tajikistan it's known as Tajiki(Тоҷики / تاجیکى).

Persian, Farsi or Parsi?

The official language of Iran is sometimes called Farsi in English and other languages. This is a correct transliteration of the native name of the language, however many, including the ISO and the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, prefer the name Persian for the language. Some speakers use the older local name: Parsi (پارسی). There is some discussion about this topic at: wikipedia.

Iran or Persia?

Until 1935, the official name of the country currently known as Iran was Persia, though the Persian people have called their country Iran since the Sassanid period (226 - 651 AD). There's further discussion about this at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_naming_dispute

Persian alphabet (الفبای فارسی) and pronunciation

Notable features

Type of writing system: abjad - includes letters only for consonants. Vowels, when indicated, are written with diacritics and/or combinations of consonant letters

Direction of writing: right to left in horizontal lines; numerals written from left to right.

Used to write: Persian (فارسی)

Notes

"Alef" has no particular sound. At the beginning of words by means of diacritics it can denote "â" (آ), "a" (اَ), "e" (اِ), "o" (اُ) but elsewhere, it always denotes "â". However, only the diacritic of "â" (آ) is commonly written and you just have to memorize the pronunciation. For example: آب (âb) – water, اسب (asb) – horse, امید (omid) – hope, امشب (emšab) - tonight.

Notes and corrections by Ali Jahanshiri

Numerals

Note

The symbols for 4,5 and 6 are different from the standard numerals used for Arabic.

Farsi Phrases

This page contains a table including the following: Farsi phrases, also called Persian expressions and words in Farsi, conversation and idioms, Farsi greetings and survival phrases or simply if you want to know what to say when chatting. Most of the sentences below are used for the everyday life conversations, so they might come handy if you memorize them. Make sure to check our Learn Farsi page, which contains several lessons that might help you in your learning process.